November 22, 2010

Serena's No Bake Pumpkin CheeseCAKE

I'm a huge fan of cheesecake, but not of the preparation. When I lived in remote Alaska, I loved a blueberry cheesecake that the local Arctic Pizza restaurant would serve. It was served in slices like a cake, containing several layers and looking more like a cake than a cheesecake. I was always so baffled as to how they got the teeny tiny thin layers of the cake until one day I pulled it apart and realized that the "cake" was actually graham crackers! I devised this recipe with that concept in mind, and boy is it tasty (and easy!)

Ingredients

3 8 ounce packages lowfat cream cheese

1 1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

13 1/2 full-sized graham crackers

Directions

Beat cream cheese and sugar together in a large bowl until completely combined and cream cheese has softened up. Add pumpkin puree, whipping cream and vanilla, beating until the mixture is completely combined and fluffy.

Line a 9"x9" ungreased baking pan with 4.5 graham crackers, followed by 4-5 big scoops of the filling. Repeat the layers two more times, ending with the filling as the top layer

Cover cake with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. Do not cheat, do not eat early! Because I promise you, if you let it set up overnight, the filling will become thick and rich and the layers will be like thin thin cake. And you will see, it. is. heavenly.

Note

You may be tempted to add spices, but I highly recommend leaving it simple. Unbaked pumpkin has a very subtle flavor and will be overpowered by any spices. If you allow the pumpkin to shine, you'll be so happy you did.

Want to make a taller cake? Use a loaf pan instead.

* * * *

Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.

Comments

Serena's No Bake Pumpkin CheeseCAKE

I'm a huge fan of cheesecake, but not of the preparation. When I lived in remote Alaska, I loved a blueberry cheesecake that the local Arctic Pizza restaurant would serve. It was served in slices like a cake, containing several layers and looking more like a cake than a cheesecake. I was always so baffled as to how they got the teeny tiny thin layers of the cake until one day I pulled it apart and realized that the "cake" was actually graham crackers! I devised this recipe with that concept in mind, and boy is it tasty (and easy!)

Ingredients

3 8 ounce packages lowfat cream cheese

1 1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

13 1/2 full-sized graham crackers

Directions

Beat cream cheese and sugar together in a large bowl until completely combined and cream cheese has softened up. Add pumpkin puree, whipping cream and vanilla, beating until the mixture is completely combined and fluffy.

Line a 9"x9" ungreased baking pan with 4.5 graham crackers, followed by 4-5 big scoops of the filling. Repeat the layers two more times, ending with the filling as the top layer

Cover cake with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. Do not cheat, do not eat early! Because I promise you, if you let it set up overnight, the filling will become thick and rich and the layers will be like thin thin cake. And you will see, it. is. heavenly.

Note

You may be tempted to add spices, but I highly recommend leaving it simple. Unbaked pumpkin has a very subtle flavor and will be overpowered by any spices. If you allow the pumpkin to shine, you'll be so happy you did.

Want to make a taller cake? Use a loaf pan instead.

* * * *

Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.